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Let’s talk about Smash Bros. pre-4/8!!! April 10, 2014

So I know I’ve been missing a lot of news, but I felt it was time to time travel back to almost a year back when SSB4 was finally shown off at E3. There is a lot of stuff to go over so I’ll break it up to parts (and yes, I’ll cover the the Direct sometime this weekend! So let’s get started!

Characters

So since E3 there was quite a bit of character reveals (most of them are returning veterans)

Captain Olimar & Pikmin – As the first announced after E3, it was surprising but fitting as he was shown off alongside Pikmin 3’s release. Of course there was some hints that Sakurai changed him up but I’ll get to that eventually!

Luigi – Of course, 2013 was THE year of Luigi and with the release of Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, I honestly surprised that he was shown off as early since he’s always been an unlockable. One of the biggest changes was the fact that he was the first veteran shown off to have a different Final Smash (with the Poltergust). Though still no explanation on how it works.

Peach – No surprise she’d return, nothing too much has changed, maybe some aesthetic changes, but we’ve yet to focus on her, but definitely is there.

Toon Link – To celebrate the re-release of WindWaker HD, they brought our next veteran, Toon Link. Now everyone thought he was cut once we saw him on the Spirit Train stage, but it seems like it was a troll move from Sakurai. Instead, if chosen to fight as/against, Alfonso will take his place as the conductor on said stage. Seems there hasn’t been too much info to see if there’s any differences that puts him away from regular Link but hmmm.

Sonic – I wasn’t surprised that Sonic was going to return, it did feel strange how he was shown off, but nonetheless, he’s back and was pretty much the sameas his Brawl iteration…albeit stronger and slightly faster.

Marth – The great ole swordsman is back again to strike foes down! I was pretty happy to see him returning and it seems he’s still kickin’ with his Brawl set so not complaints here.

Zelda – Like with her inception to Brawl we were given news about her before Sheik and it seems she’s gotten some buffs. Also there was a rather unusual picture of her with a Phantom…I wonder if that meant anything…>.>

King Dedede – No surprise to see the King in the game again (though funny he came before Metaknight). It was noted that his facial expressions are more noticeable (and for all the characters too). Seemed to retain most of his moves at least.

Lucario – Of the onces announced, I think Lucario was the most surprising because I felt like he was the flavor of the month character (like Pichu). So seeing him return is pretty cool since his Aura shtick was unique! This time around, Sakurai made sure to point out that this Aura is powered up even more! To what extent is curiously on my mind…

Diddy Kong – The last vet to be shown before the direct, Diddy Kong kind of came in with little fanfare by me, even though it’s great he’s back…it was kind of a shoe-in for me. Didn’t seem like too much has changed beside Sakurai stating that he has better reach his moves now…so hmm.

Also we found out that Wii Fit Trainer has an alternate male costume

Now we reach where we got the new characters that have joined!

Rosalina & Luma

So the first new character after the Wii Fit Trainer, came out on a Nintendo Direct (actually so far it’s been the only times we see brand new characters). Rosalina and her Luma from Super Mario Galaxy originally make their appearance and honestly, sort of saw it coming with her sudden boost of appearances like Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario Land 3D. Her playstyle is pretty unique kind of like the Ice Climbers but more different as she can control Luma as its own character as well. Totally cool and I cant wait to use her.

Little Mac

The other character that joined the cast is funny enough Little Mac and as we all know he was an Assist Trophy in Brawl but was upgraded to a playable character (like how Charizard was). I was also agreeing with people that he was just a shoe-in for SSB4. With his inclusion brought some interesting tidbits. He’s pretty damn nimble and yet his like a brick while he’s grounded, but his air game totally sucks…I guess they had to do something to make him less OP. Also we found out his Final Smash as well becoming Giga Mac (basically a boxer version of Giga Bowser more or less). Interesting to see what else he can do.

Items

So we also got some new items with some returning ones which is pretty wicked! Let’s check out the old ones that returned before getting into the new ones (ATs and Pokeballs will have their own mini-section).

Returning Items

Capsules – Though it also comes in a more fatter, bulkier look alongside its normal look

Smash Ball – New look

Ray Gun – New look

Assist Trophy – The idea came back, but the item itself wasn’t shown as of before the direct.

Green Shells

Fire Flowers

Pokeballs

Trophies – The idea came back, but the item hasn’t been shown in battles yet.

Home-run Bat – New look

Banana Peel – Shown, but was along Diddy so there wasn’t a true confimation as a standalone item.

Bumper – New look, was also announced alongside that Flippers weren’t returning.

Motion-sensor Bombs – New look, looks even smaller!

Crates / Rolling Crates – The crates return as well as their different looks, though the picture showed the 3 kinds on 1 stage…does it mean the themes are gone and the 3 different kinds just pop up whenever? Also great to see the rolling crates return!

New Items! (might sneak in some direct info on some of these)

X Bomb (Kid Icarus) – Interestingly enough, this item is about as expressive as you think, it’s a bomb that explodes like an X or a +, not sure how you get them, but it explodes across the screen…weird I kind of thought of Bomberman…

Hocotate Bomb (Pikmin) – Just think of Olimar’s Final Smash from Brawl and the Warp Star item and you get this item.

Steel Diver (Steel Diver) – A pretty odd item where it’s like a Ray Gun and it shoots little missiles (kind of like Samus’ side special without the homing effect).

Beetle (Legend of Zelda) – You throw the item and the Beetle drags your opponent into the air, whether or not if it has KO abilities is yet to be seen).

Bottled Fairy (Legend of Zelda) – A healing item essentially and cure more than 100% (don’t know if it’s going to be better than the Heart Containers).

Ore Club (Kid Icarus) – So since when is Sauron’s Eye from LOTR in Smash? Jk, it’s a battering item that also shoots out tornadoes if you do a side smash.

Cucco (Legend of Zelda) – Not sure what the item does, but it seems like chaos with Sakurai hinting to not attack it.

Gust Bellows (Legend of Zelda) – Another LoZ item? Well this one seems to be not as much of an offensive item, just blowing enemies away. On the other side, if dropped it’ll let loose and do stuff on its own…to what effect is not known however.

Assist Trophies

Being that they returned it was no surprise that they would, but we didn’t get too much info on a lot of these.

Skull Kid (LoZ)

Nintendog – Different breed of dog, but still blocks the screen from the battle

Starfy – Well it’s using its American name lol, seems like it’ll still spin around and be one of the few AT’s that can be attacked

Ashley (WarioWare)

Mother Brain (Metroid) – Seen using a beam as its attack, looks huge!

Waluigi – Retains the same use as his Brawl incarnation (attacks with feet, ends with tennis racket…etc.)

Andross – Same effect, goes to background and shoots polygonal panels

Isabelle (Animal Crossing)

Metroid – Seems to be the same thing, latches on to you and gives damage

Pokemon

Xerneas

Palkia – Spacial Rend where it claws the air?

Dedenne – Sends electricity in an X pattern around it.

Stages (3DS)

So Sakurai once again said that the two games have different stages so let’s see if there’s any changes…to what we’ve learned back then.

Battlefield – Nothing to note

Gerudo Valley – Seems a bit bigger through screenshots, a curious picture of Koume and Kotake as well…not sure where they belong…

Arena Ferox – Nothing new to report either

Spirit Tracks – Looks a big bigger than before, good to know that Toon Link is still in the game and Alfonso takes over with the little man is in the battle…wonder what other surprises are in store.

Super Mario 3D Land – It looks like the new Rainbow Ride stage as it’s fixed on a path and it goes around different areas like cliffs, the sky, and other things. Looks busy (and definitely banned in tournaments).

That Nintendog stage – Nothing really much talked about, the dog in the background does come to look at the fighters…whether or not it attacks is up in the air.

Kid Icarus Stage – Not too sure about it besides Viridi is in it…looks like Castle Siege doesn’t it?

Some kind of Mii stage?: I don’t know too much about it besides the Dark Emperor being in it?

Rainbow Road – It looks like another Mute City-esque stage, but on a very classic stage (though it’s the RR from the recent Mario Kart 7. Interesting…

Boxing Ring – With Little Mac’s introduction we got the Boxing Ring officially on both versions and the fact that there’s also two different looks, one looking more basic and the other like Little Mac’s ring…interesting to see on both systems.

Tortimer Island – A new AC stage from the recent New Leaf enters and it has a very strange attribute as in everytime you play on it, it has a different layout. This might be funky for the more hardcore players but it’s cool that it’s like a random effect.

Prism Tower – Pokemon got a X/Y stage and well it’s a lot like Isle Delfino meets the Halberd where you start on the ground and then fly around the Prism Tower…it’s a pretty cool looking stage for 3DS’ standards and I can’t wait to fight on this.

Some Tomodachi Collection stage?: Only one picture of it exists and it looks like it’s inside a TINY room…Don’t know much about it…

Stages WiiU

Battlefield – Nothing new to report

Boxing Ring – Like I said above, two different looks but the same

Skyloft – Definitely is a Isle Delfino-esque stage and goes around to a lot of places.

Smashville 2 – It looks like the Brawl version but it seems like it goes around the City (from City Folk)…don’t know where that really leads to…but it’s cool!Dr. Wily’s Castle – Still nothing about the reason of Yellow Devil, but it looks pretty simple of a stage with not many random things going on.

Wii Fit’s Stage – Still not much going on, with this…looks calming though right?

Garden of Hope – Looks very Pikmin, lettle less busy than Brawl’s which is a gooood thing.

Pilotwings stage? – From the pictures we’ve seen we go from the landing strip from the original Pilotwings to flying around Wuhu Island…but the battle is on the planes…not sure if this is gonna be another Isle Delfino stage…but I hope not.

Pyrosphere – Another lava stage from Metroid? Jeeze, can we be done here? From its looks, it doesn’t look busy, but Sakurai hinted there’s another person here? Ridley??? oh boy those fanboys right now x.x

Windy Hill – Not much is known really besides we have a Sonic stage.

A Super Mario Galaxy stage – I knew that with Rosalina announced, they would give her (and Mario’s franchise) a SMG stage. They kept the gravity aspect and the ground is curved upwards and the jumping angles straight up at the angle your at…interesting design. I wonder if anything else needs to known.

A temple with Palutena? – Not much is known about this…besides it has a statue of Palutena on it…*shrugs*.

That’s really it for info….there’s a couple mechanics changed like Tripping is gone, edges are handled differently, combo attacks back for those who had the infinite jabs, Crawling is returning, Trophies are back and are different between versions. Next post is the Direct which I’ll go by different sections of the video (think of it as a reaction, but not really)